Woman jumps from State Street bridge in downtown Rockford

ROCKFORD — A woman jumped off the East State Street Bridge this afternoon prompting a river rescue by the Rockford Fire Department.

The woman, whose name has not been released, was in critical condition in SwedishAmerican Hospital's intensive care unit, said Rockford Police Lt. Dane Person.

The woman floated in the Rock River between the East State and Chestnut Street bridges before firefighters in a boat pulled her out of the water and immediately began chest compressions before taking her to the banks of the river just south of PNC Bank and transporting her to the hospital.

The whole ordeal played out in front of rush-hour motorists, passersby and employees at the Rockford Register Star News Tower.

For at least 20 minutes, the woman dressed in a red and white stocking cap, a black jacket and pants sat on the south side of the railing while two women in an eastbound vehicle stopped and tried to talk her down before police arrived.

"I just asked her if she needed help and if she would come down," said Felicia Revels. "She asked me if I thought the water was cold, and I said, 'Of course.'"

What the woman did not know is that Revels had called 911 on her cell phone and remained in contact with the dispatcher until several police officers arrived about 4:40 p.m. At least two officers tried to talk to the woman while others blocked east- and west-bound traffic from crossing the bridge.

The Rockford Fire Department was notified at 4:49 p.m., and an ambulance and District Chief Dan Zaccard arrived on the scene at 5:02 p.m. Additional firefighters from Station No. 1 retrieved a boat stationed at the Prairie Street dock. At 4:59 p.m., the woman jumped into the river feet first and was fished out of the river at 5:02 p.m.